GM Taps Weber Shandwick For Chevy Spark Launch

DETROIT--General Motors has selected Weber Shandwick to handle the upcoming launch of its Chevrolet Spark minicar.

The appointment follows a review that began last month. GM’s roster of PR firms includes Fleishman-Hillard, MSLGroup, Mullen and Weber Shandwick.

While the brief is valued in the low six-figure range, it is viewed as an important project for the carmaker, representing GM's first urban minicar in the US.

The gasoline-powered version will compete with such marques as the Scion iQ, Fiat 500 and Smart fortwo. An all-electric version of the car, the Spark EV, will also roll out next year.

GM already makes the high-performance Chevy Volt plug-in hybrid, but the lower-cost Spark EV will help battle battery-powered vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf, which currently leads the US electric car market. Numerous automotive players are expected to launch electric vehicles in the near future, including Ford, Toyota and Honda.

The appointment was confirmed by Weber Shandwick representatives, who declined to provide further details.

Earlier this year, it is understood that MSLGroup consolidated GM's retainer PR duties for the Northeast region, after already handling the North-Central area.

A Chevrolet spokesperson did not respond to request for comment as this story went live.